Pointing the Finger

I was reminded last night of the great hatred many conservatives have for Bill Clinton. The predominant feeling, from Limbaugh on up, is that Clinton was an inveterate liar.

Now, folk on the liberal side seem to have the same view of the Resident.

This moral certitude seems to reflect a need to view folk as entirely "good" or entirely "evil". The obvious reality is that the average person is a complex mix of both.

Is it possible to frame an argument that we disagree with Busch's policies without calling him an idiot? Would it have been possible for the neo-cons to reasonably disagree with Clinton without calling him a horn-dog pathological liar?

Busch's history pre-presidency reflects an amazing amount of incompetence. It's mind-boggling that so many people voted for him. I suspect it is this incompetence which has led to the current situation.

The men who drafted the document on the New American Century (Karl Rove, et al) are on record as supporting Pax Americana. They may even be in favor of an overt plutocracy in which they (the wise) dictate life for the rest of us (the unwashed proles). Although I strongly disagree, and the thought scares me more than a little, I will admit the possibility that they believe their motives are pure.

The bottom line, to paraphrase Lincoln, is that a house divided cannot stand for long. So long as each extreme believes their opposite is absolutely wrong, little compromise can be possible. Which I believe means that little progress can be made at all.